HMS Vulture 1776 by Dan Vadas - FINISHED - 1:48 scale - 16-gun Swan-class sloop from TFFM plans

Dan Vadas · July 18, 2015

Thank you John.

Waist Rails

I have a fair bit more "Iron" work in front of me. The first are the stanchions for the Waist Rails.

The rail itself is timber. It sits inside U shaped brackets atop the stanchions. I cut the brackets from sheet brass using the table saw and soldered them to the wire posts. The uneven thicknesses on the sides of the brackets were filed to size after soldering :

There are also two stanchions that take the entry ropes. I soldered a piece of small tubing to the tops of them to form the eyes that take the ropes :

:cheers: Danny

Jim Lad · July 18, 2015

More first class smithing work, Danny!

John

Dan Vadas · July 18, 2015

Hammock Cranes

The Hammock Cranes are J shaped and are bolted to the quarterdeck planksheers with two bolts. The holes for these will be a trick to drill with the quarterdeck rail and shrouds already in place. I should have done this a LONG time ago :huh: .

I started by flattening the section above the planksheer and drilling the holes on the mill. The posts are all overlength for now :

Next I made a simple jig that fits into my vise to get an even bend into each post :

The posts are all of varying heights, with the longest ones forward. To cut them to size I taped the pieces to my bench and drew a pencil line at the point where they needed trimming :

Some of the bends are not quite right, but this doesn't matter at this stage as they will probably finish up getting bent a bit when fitting them. Final adjustments will be easy enough to do after fitting :

Short pieces of tubing were silver soldered on next. These will take the passing ropes. Making them oversize made it easier to solder them on straight. An easy job to file them flush later on :

Continued next post ....

Dan Vadas · July 18, 2015

..... continued

The "bolts" were the last things to add. I started with two long pieces of wire and soldered them into the holes :

I cut the inner bolt flush as drilling both holes will be nearly impossible. One pin will suffice to hold the stanchion in position until the epoxy dries :

Finally the cranes were blackened :

:cheers: Danny

gjdale · July 18, 2015

Excellent smithing there Danny. And another great mini tutorial too!

Greg the peg leg sailor · July 18, 2015

G'day Danny

Another fine example of your skills but this time it's your blacksmith skills are shinning through.

"What can't you do?"

Haveagreatone

Greg

GLakie · July 18, 2015

Love that iron-work Danny. :dancetl6:

SawdustDave · July 19, 2015

This is the kind of detail that separates the true masters from the rest of us. Thanks for the wonderful lessons Danny.

keelhauled · July 22, 2015

Beautiful iron work! Love the guns. Just amazing work! you are an artist!

lagrayjr · July 23, 2015

Danny, great tutorial on clue blocks. Just curious, what is your next build going to be? We are all looking forward to it. Laman

Dan Vadas · July 25, 2015

Thanks for the comments Grant, Greg, George, Dave, Keelhauled and Laman .

what is your next build going to be?

I have a model of Norske Lowe to finish off for a guy who's dad was building her before he passed away, and then it will be a Ship in a Bottle.

Anchor Rigging

I am going to rig the two Bower Anchors in different ways. The starboard one will be stowed, and the port one (shown here) is "About to be Stowed". This will make use of the Fish Davit and all it's associated rigging.

First I made all the various blocks needed. The two Cat Blocks are interesting - they are iron-bound and double-sheaved.

I made the "iron" straps from thin brass sheet. After working out the length required (by trial and error) I drilled and filed a strip in the vise :

The three parts of the block, which is recessed to accept the strap. The hook is drilled into the block, and the strap is Epoxied on. The join in the strap fits against the hook and is invisible :

The Fish Tackle Hook is very large, as it needs to pass around the anchor arm. Note the Thimble in the eye of the hook :

The Fish Tackle block and a violin block for the fish tackle :

:cheers: Danny

GLakie · July 25, 2015

Your skills and knowledge continue to impress Danny. Very nice!! :dancetl6:

Edited July 25, 2015 by GLakie

Dan Vadas · July 25, 2015

Thanks George .

I've rigged the port side anchor. The pics are fairly self-explanatory :

Note the Fish Back, a small line seized to the hook to enable it to be manoeuvred over the arm of the anchor :

The fish tackle is hooked through a ring and eye in the main channel, and belays to the timberhead above it :

:cheers: Danny

GLakie · July 25, 2015

So that's how a "Fish Davit" works. What a great detail to add to an already impressive build.

Jim Lad · July 25, 2015

Just like a bought one, Danny!

John

Dan Vadas · July 25, 2015

Thank you George and John, much appreciated.

So that's how a "Fish Davit" works.

George - here are a couple more pics of the Fish Davit which might make it's fitting a bit clearer :

The inner end goes through the Spanshackle Ring :

I had to shorten the fish davit considerably from the length shown in TFFM, as it would have finished way too far outboard (it's probably still a bit too long). TFFM's fish davit is on HMS Resolution and fits forward of the foremast and is a rather different setup.

The last thing to fit on both anchors is the rope seized to the Shankpainter Chain, which was fitted at the time the Channels went on. The rope is 0.45mm in diameter and was too large to fit through the chain link, so I made a small ring to which I seized the rope :

The port side anchor is shown as Stowed. The shankpainter chain loops around the shank of the anchor and belays to the timberhead forward of the fish davit block :

The stock is belayed to the cathead. I had to "be my own captain" when stowing the anchors - feel free to tell me I've got it wrong, but they don't fit any other way :

Some more pics of the port anchor :

:cheers: Danny

GLakie · July 25, 2015

Thanks for the explanation of the Spanshackle Ring Danny. Wasn't quite sure how it was secured inboard. Wow! They say the devil's in the details and there's sure lots and lots of them on this build. :dancetl6:

Cheers

Landlocked123 · July 26, 2015

Danny,

Every time I think you can not go to higher level.....you do. I promise you that what I've learned on this build log has taken me to a higher level as well. I have no idea if I can ever reach your level but the clarity of the log and your willingness to share has definitely make me a better modeler. Thank you.

Best,

John

Edited July 26, 2015 by Landlocked123

druxey · July 26, 2015

I believe that the davit was the length given in TFFM but fitted through the spanshackle on the opposite side of the forecastle to the business end. The mechanical advantage of the lever arm is better.

Greg the peg leg sailor · July 26, 2015

Danny,

Every time I think you can not go to higher level.....you do. I promise you that what I've learned on this build log has taken me to a higher level as well. I have no idea if I can ever reach your level but the clarity of the log and your willingness to share has definitely make be a better modeler. Thank you.

Best,

John

Ditto for me Danny, I've, and I'm sure everyone has learnt a great deal from your wonderful pictorial step by step lessons. Bravo mate, just brilliant!

I also agree with George 150%.

Haveagreatone

Greg

wyz · July 26, 2015

Dan,

You've got to be close to the finish line on this model. How much more is left? Your build log is one beautifully illustrated course in scratch building a POF model. It's a masterpiece! What a wonderful gift it is to the model shipbuilding world. Like so many other modelers I've learned an awful lot from it, and each time I read it, and that has to be several times already, I learn even more. I'm really looking forward to seeing the photos you'll post of the finished Vulture. It should be awesome!

Tom

Edited July 26, 2015 by wyzwyk

Mirabell61 · July 26, 2015

A beautiful documentation of your work and Progress Danny,

also the Pictures are of top Quality and Show all the Details, you`re Setting the rod very high for all who might orientate themselves at your build,

and super model

Nils

Dan Vadas · July 26, 2015

Thanks for the comments George, John, Druxey, Greg, Tom, Robin and Nils.

I believe that the davit was the length given in TFFM but fitted through the spanshackle on the opposite side of the forecastle to the business end. The mechanical advantage of the lever arm is better.

the davits position was so positiond as to allow the davit to be full leanth and get maximum streanthe but using the oppersit side of the anchore being fisht.

Druxey and Robin - That makes a whole lot of sense now - I don't know why I didn't think of that. A pity that the point wasn't mentioned in either TFFM or Lavery, or not that I could find anyway, or I'd have made it that way. The pic in Lavery is a little clearer now that you've mentioned it, but unfortunately the inner end of the davit fades into the distance and isn't visible for it's full length. I'm in two minds about whether to change it now or not, apart from making a new davit and a 2nd spanshackle ring there's not a lot else to do.

what I've learned on this build log has taken me to a higher level as well. I have no idea if I can ever reach your level

John - The build logs of people like EdT, Remco, Doris, Jim Lad and others helped to take me to where I am now - I'm sure you'll get there as well if you keep up your good work .

You've got to be close to the finish line on this model. How much more is left?

Not much Tom - I should finish the last of the rigging in the next couple of days, then I have some more detail work fitting the already-made swivel guns, hammock cranes and waist railings, plus a couple of other things like the flags. Then it's on to building the base .

:cheers: Danny

Dan Vadas · July 28, 2015

Clues, Tacks and Sheets

I have finished all the rigging apart from the Ensign and Jack Halyards. Yay .

The final lines to do were the Clues, Tacks and Sheets. Being loose-footed the lower fore and main yards have Tacks, there is none on the crossjack as it doesn't carry a sail. The topsails only have clues and sheets, and the topgallants have neither. These lines all control the foot of each sail. They are hauled downward when the sails are in use.

Here are a couple of pics of the overall view :

The tacks on the lower yards all use a Crown Knot which goes through the strop in the sheet block. I tied a simplified version which looks similar from a distance :

Here's a pic from TFFM on the configuration. I've done mine a little differently as there are no sails :

The clue starts with a Timber Hitch around the yard. Here's a pic of this knot :

It then goes through the clue block. To see how I made these specialised blocks click HERE. Next it passes through the clue block on the yard and belays to the Main Topsail Sheet Bitts (main course) or the Fore Topsail Sheet Bitts (fore course). Both go through the sheaves in the bitts before belaying to the bitt rails :

The topsail clues are similar except they belay to the Fore Jeer Bitts (fore), the Quarterdeck Rail (main) and two of the cleats at the foot of the Mizzen Mast (mizzen).

The Tacks for the fore course start with a crown knot which goes through the fore sheet block strop, through the large tack block on the boomkin and belays to a timberhead in the bow.

The main course tacks go through the Chesstree sheaves, through the fixed blocks and belay to the forward cleats inside the bulwark :

Continued in next post .......

Jim Lad · July 28, 2015

Lovely rigging, Danny!

John

GLakie · July 28, 2015

Exquisitely done Danny. That bow shot looks like it's getting pretty busy in that area.

Dan Vadas · July 29, 2015

....... continued.

The standing end of the Fore Course Sheet is seized to an eyebolt below the aft fixed block, through the sheet block, through the fixed block, and belays to the aft cleat in the bulwark :

The standing end of the Main Course Sheet is seized to an eyebolt below the fixed block on the quarterdeck planksheer, through the sheet block, through the fixed block, and belays to a timberhead forward of the block :

The sheets for the topsails start with a crown knot through the strop in the clue block, through the sheet block on the outboard end of the lower yard, inboard to the sheet block near the centre of the yard, and belays to the fore topsail sheet bitts (fore), main topsail sheet bitts (main) and to an eyebolt at the foot of the mizzen mast (mizzen) :